Strengthening the Quest for Sustainable Development Through Persuasive Climate Argumentation

Abstract

This study explored the nexus between framing, persuasion and the quest for sustainable development in a competitive policy debate setting using content analysis approach. Evidence from the analysis reveals several insights about the underlying mechanism that governs persuasive climate argumentation which shapes sustainable development trajectory. First, the study showed that arguers construct arguments that appeals to logos as a major persuasion strategy. Second, it demonstrated how persuasion strategy entrench a culture of persuasion in climate debates. Third, it found a discordant relationship between fallacies and persuasion strategy in climate argumentation, which jeopardises arguments' persuasive power. Finally, the study evaluated how tensions in the mainstream socio-economic and environmental ecosystem creeps into climate arguments and limit persuasive power of climate arguments. These are regarded as reflective pattern of climate argumentation that are capable of stimulating behavioural change and communication strategies for sustainable development.